IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


% 


m 


0%    ■ :» 


1.0 


If  1^  ^k 

2.2 


I.I 


ui    M 


11.25 


1.4 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


1.8 


1.6 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


L!P 


w 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


6^ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  \A/hich  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 

□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□    Coloured  pistes  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  interieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cola  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6x6  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  tui  a  et6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-etre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m6thode  normaie  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


I — I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pelliculees 


^ 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^colorees,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


D 
D 


Pages  d^tachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


I      I    Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuiilet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  6  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

SOX 

1 

15V 

^"""""^ 

IfiX 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — •►  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  In  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grace  S  la 
gdn6rosit6  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformit6  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  film6s  en  commenqant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprainte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derni6re  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — »►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
film6s  S  des  taux  de  r6duction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  §tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  fllm6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 


I 


m. 


m 

"* 


El  105- 


ANTIQUITIES 


or 


CENTRAL   AMERICA, 


33? 


AND  THE 


DISCOVERY.  OP.UEW-ENGLAND 


BY   THE 


NORTHMEN, 


FIVE  HUNDRED  YEARS    BEFORE  COLUMBUS. 


A   LECTURE, 


DSLIVBRB1)  IN  NEW-YORK,  WASHINOTON,  BOSTON.  AND  OTHEB  CHTIB8. 
Auo  a  som  of  tbx 

FIRST   LITKBARY   IN81TUT10NB    IN   THE   UNION. 


BY    A.    DAVIS, 

II 

FORWUILY    CHAPLAIN    OF     THE    SENATE,    ETC.    NEW-YORK. 


TENTH  IDITION. 

FROM  THE  NINTH  BOSTON  EDITION  : 

WITH  IMPOBTABT  ADDItlOBB.  * 


BUFFALO: 

STEELE'S    PRESS. 

1842 


:% 


^■f 


i 


:mMidmmi'MmM^mmM^ti«Mi»mmm).m»mv 


</.^ 


1 


V 


6a; 


TO    THE    PUBLIC. 


c 

1     . 


o 


i 

r 

^to.'iliii'i iiir 


The  generous  patronage  received  for  the  delivery  of  the  follow- 
ing Lecture,  leads  to  its  publication.  Though  faint  the  ray  of 
knowledge  it  may  impart,  yet  I  trust  it  will  be  seen,  and  its 
benefits  rewarded,  while  exhibited  in  a  different  medium. 

The  circulation  of  nine  editions  in  a  short  time,  shows  tfcat 
this  hope  of  success  has  not  been  disappointed.  Since  published, 
it  has  not  only  been  delivered  in  various  cities  and  institutions, 
but  it  has  been  repeated,  lately,  thirteen  times  in  Baltimore. 

Together  with  original  matter,  the  Lecture  is  a  compilation 
from  various  important  works.  Facts  have  been  obtained  from 
the  first  libraries  in  Boston,  Worcester,  Philadelphia,  WasMoiton, 
and  Creorgetown. 

I  examined,  in  particular,  the  letters  of  Governor  Galindo  to 
my  venerable  and  worthy  friend,  the  late  Lieut '  Governor  Win- 
throp,  of  Massachusetts. 

**Having  journeyed  extensively,  I  have  collected  important  facts 
from  travellers  of  intelligence  from  diflerent  counU.e8. 


»'*<i. 


■fW 


^m 


'i  ■: 


£.1 


% 


)llow- 
ay  of 
kd  its 

that 
ished, 
tions, 

lation 
from 
•n, 


I 


tdo  to 
Win- 

facts 


i 


LECTURE. 


While  the  beauties  of  the  visible  creation  fade  on  the  eye- 
while  all  nature  reposes  under  the  mantle  of  night,  it  is  pleasant  to 
leave  the  haunts  of  business  for  the  lecture  room,  and  to  survey 
remote  periods  under  the  light  of  history.  ...        •       „«• 

The  activo  mind  of  man  instinctively  surveys  the  dark  regions  ot 
the  past,  and  would  gladly  break  the  unfathoniabie  silence  of  the  na- 
tioM  of  the  dead,  and  raise  the  veil  where  their  beauty  and  glory 
havtt  tlept  for  ages.  This  strong  desire  to  learn  something  of  those 
who  lived  when  time  was  young,  leads  the  antiquary,  too  often,  to 
adopt  eroundiess  theories.  But  if  there  are  counterfeit  antiquities, 
there  ate  those,  also,  that  are  genuine.  The  P'^^"*  '«  ""  ^  Pj;- 
culiar  for  developing  the  latter.  The  most  extensive  field  for  an ti- 
Suarian  research  opens  in  Central  America.  There,  from  beneath 
dense  forests,  have^n  revealed  to  the  light  of  ^heaven,  specimens 
of  the  arts,  amid  the  ruins  of  "  gorgeous  palaces. 

That  America  was  peopled  by  those  in  advance  of  the  savage 
state,  lone  before  any  authentic  accounts  are  given  of  settlements,  is 
manifest  from  nameless  monuments  of  antiquity,  found  in  vanous 

^"^iM  be  recollected  that  the  avaricious  Spaniards  discovered  and 
conquered  Mexico  on  the  North,  and  Peru  and  Chih  on  the  South  of 
Central  America,  in  the  first  place.     But  at  l«"g^h,  the  solitude  of 
the  latter  was  bi^en;  and  there  was  discovered  the       El  Dorado, 
about  which  the  ihole  Spanish  nation  had  so  long  been  dreaming. 

The  appearance  of  these  ruins  shows  that  a  nation  once  existed 
there  highfy  skilled  in  the  mechanic  arts,  and  in  a  state  of  civiliM- 
tion  far  beyond  any  thing  that  we  have  been  led  to  believe  of  llil 
aborieines.  previous  to  the  time  of  Columbus. 

The  antiquities  of  America  may  be  divided  into  three  classes,  left, 
in  succession,  by  nations  more  or  less  enlightened  The  mhabitants 
of  Central  America  were  the  most  intelligent.  The  next  in  intellec- 
tual advancement  were  the  Mexicans.  The  rude  mounds  of  the 
West  mi  St  have  been  left  by  those  who  were  not  very  far  in  advano* 

°  The  firatTnowledge  of  the  ruins  of  Central  America  was  derived 
from  accounts  given  ^stragi^g  hunters.       _,  ,  _.    ^  ^. 

In  1787,  thf  Spanish  govrtlliftent  sent  out  Del  Rio  to  survey  the 
ruins.     Waldeck,  in  1822,  f^m^  an  account  of  Rio's  discoveries. 


4  A    LECTURE    ON   THK 

The  Spaniards  were  over  jealous  of  other  nations,  lest  they  should 
also  discover  the  treasures  that  region  unfolded.  They  have  taken 
antiquities  from  that  quarter,  and  deposited  them  at  the  monastic  in- 
stitution of  Cuenca,  forty  niiles  from  Madrid. 

Capt.  Dupaix  was  sent  on  a  mission  to  Central  America,  in  1806. 
Lord  Kingsboro'  gave  an  account  of  Dupaix's  discoveries.  William 
H.  Prescott,  Esq.  of  Boston,  has  the  work  ol  Lord  K.  It  is  as 
splendid  as  it  is  expensive;  and  it  presents  very  beautiful  and  striking 
views  of  buildings  and  likenesses  of  the  inhabitants. 

Waldeck  visited  the  south  in  1832.  Among  the  hieroglyphics  ho 
thinks  he  has  decyphered  an  occount  of  the  reign  of  eleven  queens. 

Gov.  Galindo,  of  Peten,  in  Centrol  America,  has  corresponded 
with  Lieut.  Gov.  Winthrop,  Boston,  relative  to  the  antiquities  of  that 
region.  For  the  great  discoveries  he  has  made,  he  has  received  a 
premium  from  one  of  the  literary  societies  of  Europe. 

He,  in  speaking  of  one  of  the  cities  in  the  vicinity  of  Palenque, 
says  that  a  gigantic  Massica,  or  bread-fruit  tree,  grows  on  one  of 
the  altars,  encircling  it  with  its  powerful  roots.  The  most  remarka- 
ble trees  growing  over  the  ruins  ore,  the  Mahogany,  Cedar,  Choco- 
late, &c.  One  of  the  squares  of  the  city  is  surrounded  with  six 
handsome  obel  dks,  the  highest  of  which  is  more  than  six  yftrds 
high.  They  all  bear,  in  basso  relievo,  gigantic  figures.  One  tem- 
ple has  eighty  such  figures. 

The  temple  of  Copan  was  653  feet  by  524  feet  in  dimensions.  It 
must  have  been  as  large  as  St.  Peter's  Church  in  Rome.  Let  us 
gaze  on  this  mighty  structure,  for  our  instruction.  It  stands  as  a 
landmark  on  the  broad  field  of  time — it  reminds  us  of  the  remote 
origin  of  a  great  empire.  Centuries  have  rolled  away— dynasties 
must  have  succeeded  each  other,  before  orders  of  architecture  were 
introduced;  and  a  long  time  must  have  elapsed  before  an  empire 
would  have  become  so  luxurious  as  to  erect  the  stupendous  temple 
of  Copan. 

Among  the  vast  pile  of  ruins,  is  found  an  architrave  of  black  gra- 
nite, finely  cut  Six  granite  columns  are  seen,  each  of  a  single 
piece,  17  feet  higlu  and  3  feet  in  diameter. 

The  Mayon  ar^itecture  in  Yucatan,  is  said  to  be'  superior  to  that 
of  Palenque.     It  is  wrought  in  stone,  and  finished  with  great  elegance. 
Gen.  Santa  Anna  says  that  the  antiquities  of  Central  Ajoerica  are 
worthy  of  being  placed  in  parallel  with  the  pyramids  of  Egypt. 

Palenque,  belonging  to  Mexico,  and  which  lies  240  miles  frcwti 
Tobasco,  latitude  17*^  N.,  is  among  the  most  remarkable  cities  of 
the  South.     Palenque  is  a  Castilian  word,  and  means  '♦  lists   for 

fighting." 

This  city  has  emphatically  been  called  the  Thebet  of  America. 
In  surveying  its  ruins,  the  traveller  is  led  to  believe  that  it  was 
founded  at  as  early  a  period  as  the  renowned  cities  of  Egypt. 

How  immense  this  city!     It  is  supposed  to  have  been  sixty  miles 
in  circumference,  and  that  it  contained  a  population  of  nearly  three 
•  millions.     Great  were  its  commercial  privileges.     Even  now,  the 
beautiful  Otulum  rolls  along  its  deaolatsd  borders. 


■*i 


DiaCOVERY    OV    AMERICA. 


Palenqiio,  lying  about  one  thousand  niiled  (torn  Mexico,  and  being 
pluvatcd  Hvo  thouHnnd  feet  above  tho  ocean,  enjoyed  a  climate  almost 
unequalled  for  its  pleasantness.  Tho  natural  beauty  of  tho  scenery 
was  unrivalled,  the  soil  rich  and  fertile  beyond  any  other  portion  of 
the  globe. 

One  of  the  principal  structures  revealed  to  tho  eye  of  the  antiqua- 
rian, is  the  Teoculi,  or  temple.  Its  style  of  architecture  resembles 
the  Gothic.  It  is  rude,  massive,  and  durable.  Though  resembling 
the  Egyptian  edifices,  also,  yet  this  and  the  other  buildings  are  pe- 
culiar, and  are  different  from  all  others  hitherto  known. 

Tho  entrance  to  this  temple  is  on  the  east  side,  by  a  portico  more 
than  one  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  nine  broad.  Tho  rectangular 
pillars  of  the  portico  have  their  architraves  adorned  with  stucco  work 
of  shields  and  other  devices.  T'.ie  temple  stands  on  an  elevation  of 
sixty  feet.  Would  that  its  exalted  location  and  its  splendor  wore  in- 
dicative of  elevated  and  enlarges  views  its  worshippers  oiight  have 
had  of  the  Supreme  Being  !  But  certain  objects  or  relievos  lead  to 
the  supposition  that,  within  its  massive  wolls,  human  beings  were 
sacrificed  to  incensed  divinities.  Among  the  ruins  different  objects 
of  worship  have  been  found;  and,  in  particular,  an  idol  of  pure  gold, 
about  six  inches  long.  Amid  this  wilderness  of  ruins  are  now  to  be 
seen  fourteen  largo  stone  buildings,  with  many  of  their  apartments 
in  good  condition. 

The  antiquity  of  this  city  is  manifest,  not  only  from  its  nameless 
hieroglyphics  and  other  objects,  but  from  tho  age  of  some  of  the 
trees  growing  over  buildings  whcro  onco  the  hum  of  industry  and 
the  voice  of  merriment  were  heard.  A  number  of  natives  were  em- 
ployed by  tho  Spaniards  in  felling  the  trees,  and  in  consuming  them 
by  fire.    The  work  was  executed  in  about  twenty  days. 

The  concentric  circles  of  some  of  these  trees  were  counted,  which 
showed  that  they  were  moro  than  nine  hundred  years  of  age. 

Similar  beautiful  and  majestic  ruins  to  those  named  above,  are 
found  along  the  coast  of  California,  and  northwest  of  Mexico.  Hum- 
boldt visited  a  splendid  building  800  miles  west  of  Mexico,  that  forty 
years  was  seven  stories  high.  Being  built  of  basaltic  stone  not 
common  to  the  place,  the  Spaniards  have  demolished  it  mostly,  to 
get  materials  for  building  dwellings  and  sugar  houses.  Have  not 
the  vandadfi  of  the  Nkw  Wo  i:  -nade  desolation  more  desolate  ? 

Mr.  Stephens'  new  work  cii  'Central  America,"  confirms  the 
stotements  of  other  travellers,  w.iile  it  heightens  our  wonder  by  the 
graphic  description  of  the  ruins  of  the  desolate  cities,  especially  of 
tnoso  found  in  Copan  and  Palenquc.  There,  he  says,  **  Architec- 
ture, sculpture,  painting,  and  all  the  arts  tnat  embellish  life,  had 
flourished  in  an  overgrown  forest." 

Among  the  specimens  of  the  arts,  he  found  massive  obelisks, 
beaming  on  their  sides  sculptured  images  and  medallion  tablets — large 
altars  ornamented  with  hieroglyphics,  giving  a  record  of  those  who 
reared  them — splendid  temples  adorned  with  human  figures,  executed 
in  stucco  and  bas-relief — walls  built  of  hewn  stone.  The  specimens 
of  sculpture  equalled  any  thing  he  saw  in  Egypt. 


•i«i^». 


A    LRCTURr.   ON   THK 


- 


Mr.  Stophena  does  not  agroc  with  otiier  travollori,  in  roforring 
the  origin  of  thcno  citinn  to  a  very  rcmoto  period.  Ho  thinlts  that 
tho  porishnblo  matorialR  with  which  thono  cities  aro  built  could  not 
hnvo  endured,  for  a  long  [Kjriod,  tho  dostruclivo  nature  of  a  tropical 
climate,  i  mippose,  from  what  he  and  other  writers  say,  that  tho 
materials  consist  of  granite  and  soH  grit-stone;  and  would  not  such 
last  through  all  time?  Mr.  S.  ap|)ears  to  admit  tho  antiquity  of  Pa. 
lonque.  Ho  says  Cortex  must  have  pausc'd  within  twenty  or  thirty 
miles  of  this  city;  and  *'  that  it  seems  rcasouabln  to  Hupposo  that  it 
was  then  desolate  and  in  ruins;  and  that  even  tho  memory  of  it  was 
lost" 

Mr.  S.  thinks,  also,  that  the  wooden  boams  found  in  tho  buildingH 
South,  would  not  long  withstand  tho  efTccts  of  the  climate;  but  have 
not  such  remained  (or  several  thousand  years,  in  the  Cave-Temples 
of  Hindostan  1  I  have  seen  scvornl  gentlemen  who  lately  returned 
from  Central  America — they  think  these  antiquities  arc  of  rcmoto  or- 
igin. Judge  M'Canon,  of  Penn.,  brought  home  some  canes  made  from 
these  wooden  beams  of  which  Mr.  S.  speaks.  They  appear  like  pe- 
trifactions; and  the  people  say  this  wood  *'  never  perishes." 

Time  indurates  thoso  works  of  art.  They  will  long  stand  alone 
in  all  their  beauty, 


"  And  gorgeous  at  the  aun  at  mid-iummer." 

The  Chevalier  Frederichal,  attache  of  tho  Austrian  legation,  lately 
spent  nine  months  at  tho  South.  He  found,  in  a  place  hitherto  un- 
trod  by  modern  travellers,  a  majestic  group  of  pillars.  Thore  wore 
ten  rows,  and  in  each  row  there  were  forty-eight  columns.  With 
his  daguurreotype  apparatus,  he  took  a  great  number  of  excellent 
impressions.  From  thene,  when  magnified,  he  has  made  drawings, 
which  show  tho  original,  by  their  richness,  cloganco  and  finish,  to 
be  the  work  of  a  highly  cultivated  people.  It  is  natural  that  we 
should  linger  around  these  inanimate  objects.  They  remind  us  of 
splendid  cities  that  like  Troy,  onco  "  were,"  But  above  all  they  toll 
us  of  the  illustrious  of  other  days.  What  are  ruins  to  us,  but  as 
they  remind  us  of  tho  enterprise  and  wisdom  of  those  who  reared 
themt  What  were  Carthage  without  the  recollection  of  ill-fated  Dido, 
or  tho  daring  deeds  of  Hannibal  t  And  what  will  Mount  Vernon  be 
centuries  hence,  but  as  it  will  remind  our  posterity  of  the  valor,  pat- 
riotism and  virtues  of  the  Father  of  our  Republic  f 

The  origin  of  nations  and  particular  races  of  men,  is  involved  in 
obscurity.  The  same  objects  of  worship  may  not  imply  the  samp 
origin  of  people  adopting  them.  For  instance,  thoso  in  the  vicinity 
of  Sumatra,  worship  the  crocodile;  and  so  did  the  ancient  Egyptians, 
and  probably  tho  Central  Americans,  as  figures  of  crocodiles  are 
found  in  their  sepulchral  monuments.  Still,  there  is  no  evidence 
that  the  inhabitants  of  these  difiercnt  countries  were  of  the  same  ori- 
gin. No  coMlBxion  has  been  discovered  between  Egyptian  hierog- 
lyphics and  those  sculptured  on  ;he  edifices  of  Central  America;  nor 
has  any  been  traced  between  these  and  the  Mexican  figures. 


■ 


1 


ririjf 

hhnt 

not 

tho 
^uch 

Pa- 
lirtjr 
U  it 
I  watt 


DiarUVKRV    OK    AMBRtcA.  T 

Thfl  moniimentnl  hJHtory  of  Central  Atncricii,  tttllH  un  that  thin  in 
not  n  new  world.  And  wo  awako  with  astoninhniont  that  there  was 
onoo  tho  rM!at  of  a  groat  f!mpir(!,  bofoni  David  roignod  over  tho  twelvu 
tribes  of  Israel,  or  Octavius  waved  his  sccptro  over  tho  civilizud 
world  I 

But  alas!  tho  foiindors  of  citios  un  magiiificnnt  as  thoso  that  adorn- 
fid  tho  banks  of  tho  Nile,  havo  vanished  like  tho  generations  before 
tho  flood. 

"  Every  houso  is  builded  by  sonio  man  ;"  but  who  erected  the 
splendid  temples  of  Palenquu,  none  can  toll,  save  "  Ho  who  made  all 
things."  Unnuiribored  centuries  havo  passed  away  sincn  the  noon- 
day of  Palcncian  glory.  There  tho  wing  of  ondloss  night  brooda 
over  all  that  was  onco  beautiful  and  grand — 

"  Where  Senate!  once  the  weal  of  nations  planned, 
Ilifieth  the  gilded  tnake,  through  hoary  weeds 
That  claip  the  mouldering  columns." 

The  form  of  tho  head  of  tho  Central  Americans  is  peculiar — that 
of  tho  sugar-loaf,  while  it  is  adorned  with  a  splendid  helmet  resemb- 
ling thoso  described  by  Homer.  I  examined  this  form  in  stucco,  in 
tho  possession  of  Professor  Dod,  of  Princeton.  I  havo  seen  also  a 
bust  in  tho  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  N.  Y.  And  what  is  re- 
markable, that  in  all  tho  drawings  and  statuary  I  havo  seen,  the 
figures  are  reprcsontod  with  Roman  noses.  This  elevated  form  of 
the  head  shows,  as  the  phrenologist  says,  that  this  primitive  people 
were  of  tho  samo  class  with  tho  aspiring  builders  of  Babel. 

Oh!  that  some  mighty  genius  like  that  of  Bclzoni,  would  arise  and 
remove,  from  this  city  of  the  world  called  new,  (he  veil  that  conceais 
its  origin. 

It  is  supposed  that  this  city  was  destroyed  by  some  internal  con- 
vulsion, or,  like  those  of  tho  South  of  Europe,  was  overwhelmed  by 
the  barbarians  of  the  North.  A  city  of  32,000  inhabitants  was 
lately  destroyed  in  Central  America  by  an  earthquake. 

Possibly  famine,  or  pestilence,  might  have  desolated  that  fair  re- 
gion. 

It  is  not  singular  that  it  should  have  been  concealed  from  view  for 
ages,  when  we  recollect  that  cities  of  the  Eastern  continent  have,  in 
like  manner,  remained  in  oblivion  till  of  late.  We  allude  to  the 
ruins  of  Peestum,  in  Campania,  of  Italy,  and  those  of  Petra  of  Idu- 
mea,  in  Asia.  A  new  forest  hid  for  centuries — the  former  from  the 
degenerate  sons  of  Rome,  while  the  splendid  structures  of  Petra  were 

Snown  only  io  Bedouins  for  over  a  thousand  years.  Who  does  not 
elight  to  read  about  the  roses  of  Psestumi  Yet  they  still  unfold  their 
inimitable  petals  amid  the  ruins  of  palaces,  and  beside  dilapidated 
temples. 

Do  we  admire  the  boundless  forests,  the  lofty  mountains,  and  the 

majestic  rivers  of  our  hemisphere^    The  vast  wildemess  of  ruins, 

once  enlivened  by  intelligent  beings,  should  demand  $  higher  claim 

to  our  admiration. 

The  antiquities  of  America  stretch  from  the  great  Itkes  of  the 


1 


V  A    LUITIIKB    ON    'I'HK 

North  and  Wnm,  to  Control  AuHiricu  and  Ihu  wxitln'rii  |mrla  of  Porn 
on  tho  South  ;  from  tho  Alleghany  nioiintiiina  on  thu  Eaitt,  to  iImi 
Rocky  mountains  on  tho  West  ;  nnd  uvon  from  the  Paciliu  to  the 
Atlantic  ocean. 

Wo  will  not  say,  ns  tlui  Atheniaim  snid  of  tlu^ir  nation,  tliut  thu 
limt  inhabitant!  of  Ainorica  woro  crcaliid  whun  thfi  sun  was  lirst  lit 
up  in  tho  sky  ;  but  wo  must  prosunio  they  early  reached  this  contin- 
ent from  tho  old  world, 

Tho  loarnod  Ur.  Clarko  says  that  thu  continents  woro  once  united; 
but  that,  by  the  foroo  of  winds  and  wuvos,  tho  inthmusscs  were  bro> 
ken  up  and  formed  into  islands  along  tho  coasts.  Easy,  however, 
if  the  transition  from  tho  East  to  tlu)  West,  by  tho  way  of  Bhering's 
straits,  when  wo  consider  that  they  are  only  thirteen  leagues  wide. 

Adverso  winds  also  might  hav(>  driven  tho  f<-ail  vessels  of  tho  an« 
cionts  to  tho  region  lying  on  the  Llulf  of  Mexico,  and  elw'where. 

But,  as  tropical  animals  found  in  America  could  not  have  crossed 
ovor  by  Bhering's  straits,  when  frozen,  they  must  havo  como  by  land 
that  once  extended  from  Asia  or  Africa  to  America,  in  tho  torrid 
zone.  Should  it  be  asked  why  certain  animals,  as  the  horso  and 
tho  cow,  not  found  originolly  on  this  continent,  did  not  cross  by  this 
continuous  range  of  lands,  we  answer,  because  the  original  continent 
was  divided,  as  possibly  in  tho  days  of  Poleg,  (Qcn.  lU,  '26,)  before 
such  animals  had  an  opportunity  to  migrate.  It  is  presumed  that 
men  and  animals  diverged,  as  from  the  central  place,  where  tho  ark 
re- tod — moving  in  all  directions.     (Vide  Gen.  11,  8.) 

Think  you  they  would  havo  transported  venomous  serpents  from 
the  old  to  the  new  worldl 

It  is  asserted  that  a  range  of  land  once  extended  from  the  Eastern 
part  of  Brazil  to  the  Western  part  of  Africa.  Tho  remains  of  the 
sunken  part  of  the  continent,  are  scon  in  tho  isle  of  Ascension  and 
other  inlands,  also  in  tho  sand-banks.  Such  have  been  found  by 
Bauche,  in  particular,  who  sounded  that  part  of  tho  Atlantic  with 
great  accuracy.  I  think  this  sunken  body  of  land  is  tho  Atalantis 
spoken  of  by  Plato,  Homer  and  Hesiod. 

Ogloby,  Cosmographer  to  the  English  sovereign,  1671,  thinks  that 
men  and  animals  came,  immediately  after  tho  flood,  from  Armenia 
to  Tartary;  and  from  the  latter  place  to  this  continent,  by  a  continu- 
ous range  of  land  extending  from  Asia  to  America  by  Bhering's 
straits. 

I  think,  with  Goorgii  Hornii,  who  published  his  views,  1629,  in 
a  Latin  book,  that  this  migration  to  this  continent  took  place  imme- 
diately after  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  Babel. 

By  this  primitive  people,  the  cities  of  the  South  riso  probably  siih- 
ultaneously  with  those  that  adorned  the  banks  of  the  Nde. 

As  to  tho  Indians,  their  origin  is  lost  in  obscurity.  Many  suppose 
they  are  of  Tartar  origin;  and  that  they  came  to  America  by  the 
way  of  the  Fox  islands,  A.  D.  600.  Others  think  they  are  the  de- 
scendontl  of  th«  Uwt  tribes.  But  Or.  Grant  teems  to  overthrow  this 
theory,  in  supposing  that  the  Nestorians  of  Persia  are  the  descend- 
ant! of  the  Israelites.  ^ 


ur 

nil 
po 


Htl 

th 
tti 

W( 

ht 

th 
E 

Ml 

Ir 


n 

t 


(MkAcatfmMji^ 


*j*>i«UMak<HsMihM>lin4lM4« 


K  Peru 

■to  tlio 

tu  iho 

fat  tlut 
lint  lit 
L'ontin> 

jnitvd; 
bro> 
I'fver, 
iring'a 
'idu. 
ho  an- 


UUCOVKRV    or    AMIRIIA.  V 

The  Iriicrt  of  an  extinct  race  of  nion  about  nino  fool  in  length, 
iim  to  Im'  found  in  viirioun  partn,  an  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  i'unnaylva* 
nia<  Khfulu  Isliind,  iind  Now  Yur!:.  Such  may  havu  \m}vu  c'Uili)in> 
pornry  with  ihu  lurgitr  pninwU. 

And  ia  it  ■trangc  it  R'toidd  hnvu  been  raid  in  the  SacK>d  Volunie 
— "And  thorn  wan  giuntM  in  thoiu  daya." 

Th(!  hghta  of  Rcirnci;  nnd  mviilalion  comniinglu,  forming  one  broad 
atruum  oi  light,  that  i.t  not  loftt  but  amid  tho  radianco  that  enoirelet 
the  thronn  ot  tint  Ktcrnal. 

Tho  cyea  of  mankind,  from  tho  timo  of  I'ythagorai,  havo  boon 
turned  to  thn  VVimt,  in  tho  anticipation  that  ni.'ro  new  diacovoriea 
were  to  Ite  made;  and  hither  w<  i-o  the  adventuroua  at  length  led. 

It  in  posNible  that  tho  Northmen,  aa  well  aa  thoao  of  earlier  tiuwa, 
had  heard  of  a  WtNtern  worKI. 

Nenoca,  Diodorutt  SiculuH,  and  Ariatotio,  apeak  of  rcgiona  beyond 
tho  Atlantic.  I'lato  Maya  he  naw  an  account  in  tho  hiorodyphica  of 
Bgypt,  of  a  largo  tract  of  land,  Atlantit,  that  onco  lay  Woat  of  the 
fltraita  of  Cfibraltar. 

It  in  thought  Virgil  nlludea,  in  tho  following  linea,  to  place*  WuaL 
In  speaking  of  Augustus,  he  says  that— 

"He  ihall  hit  powrr  to  India  extend 

Bryond  the  annual  circle,  and  beyond 

The  huu'h  lung  progreM,  where  Rreat  Atlai  bear*, 

Laden  with  golden  atari,  the  giittc ni  ',  tpherei." 

And  who  was  tho  first  among  known  diacovcrers?  Who  are  not 
ready  to  answer,  Coluinbusl 

A  ditTorcnt  answer  might  surprise  some.  One  is  given  in  the 
name  of  the  Nokt hmen.  It  is  asserted  that  Lief,  a  Northman,  was 
tho  first  who  diacovorcd  tho  country  South  of  Greenland,  unless  we 
except  Newfoundland. 

fiiamn  sailed  from  Norway,  directed  by  tho  stars,  for  Greenland; 
but,  being  driven  by  tho  winds,  for  several  days,  to  the  South,  he 
saw  an  island,  probably  Newfoundland. 

The  discoi^ery  of  America  by  tho  Northmen,  excites  a  vast  deal 
of  curiosity.  And  ta  it  not  a  laudable  curiosity  that  leads  one  to  aa- 
certain  what  white  men  first  trod  regions  in  which  the  modest  wild 
flower  wasted  its  sweetness  on  tho  desert  airl 

As  Geography  is  one  of  tho  'yes  of  History,  it  would  bo  well,  at 
this  time,  to  direct  the  attention  to  the  imp  of  North  America,  and 
to  those  of  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  in  particular. 

The  Royal  Society  of  Northern  Antiquarians  in  Copenhagen,  have 
lately  published  an  important  work.  While  the  contents  of  this  mas- 
sivo  work  are  invaluable,  its  mechanical  execution  reflects  great 
honor  on  the  society  that  published  it 

This  work  is  called,  aa  translated  from  the  Latin,  "American  An* 
tiquities,  or  Northern  Writings  of  Things  in  America  before  the 
time  of  Columbus. 

The  determination  was  formed  about  twelve  years  8inoa«  by  the 
Royal  Society  of  Ant^uarians  in  Copenhagen,  to  publish  the  author- 
2 


^' 


xd 


i 


:^ 


m 


A  liBCTURE   ON   THB 


ities  on  which  these  accounts  rest,  in  the  original  documenta,  accom- 
panied with  fuM  commentaries  and  iliustrations*  The  text  is  in  the 
Icelandic  tongue. 

The  inquiry  is  often  made,  "Who  were  the  Northmen?"  They 
were  the  descendants  of  the  Scandinavians,  who,  it  is  thought,  sprang 
from  the  Thracians  mentioned  by  Homer — a  nation  new  extinct. 
The  Danes,  the  Swedes,  the  Norwegians,  and  the  Icelanders,  all 
come  under  the  name  of  Northmen  or  Norsemen.  Their  literature 
has  been  compared,  in  extent,  to  the  literary  remains  of  Greece  and 
Latium.  This  opens  a  new  fountain  of  research,  where  the  scholar 
may  often 

"Aetarn  and  linger,  linger  and  return." 

This  great  work  contains  two  Icelandic  documents,  now  for  the 
Jirat  time  published  accurately,  in  a  complete  form,  purporting  to  be 
histories  written  by  or  for  persons  who  discovered  and  visited  the 
North  Anierican  coast  early  in  the  eleventh  century,  confirmt^d  and 
illustrated  by  extracts  from  no  less  than  fifteen  other  original  manu- 
scripts, in  which  the  facts  set  forth  in  these  histories,  are  either 
mentioned  or  alluded  to.  The  Royal  Society  has  already  collected 
two  thousand  Sagas,  or  works  of  Scandinavian  or  Icelandic  history. 

In  this  work,  in  particular,  is  found  Adam  of  Bremen's  account  of 
the  discovery  of  America,  communicated  to  him,  in  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury, by  Sweyn  Estrithson,  king  of  Denmark. 

1.  Are  these  documents  genuine? 

2.  If  so,  why  have  they  not  been  heard  of  before?  *■ 
The  work,  itself,  contains  evidences  of  the  antiquity  and  authenti- 
city of  the  manuscripts  from  which  the  publication  has  been  made, 
sufficient  to  raise  them  above  any  just  suspicion. 

These  documents,  as  Professor  Rafn  says,  have  been  known  *.o 
Icelandic  scholars;  but  thei>e  have  been  so  few,  comparatively,  and 
the  means  of  these  few  so  limited,  that  they  have  not  been  able  to 
give  them  suitable  examination,  much  less  to  be  at  the  expense  of 
publishing  them. 

How  long  did  the  ancient  classics,  for  instance,  lay  concealed  iu 
the  monasteries  of  Europe,  for  the  want  of  some  one  to  exhibit  them 
to  public  view?  These  Icelandic  documents  may  have  been  hid,  in 
like  manner,  in  the  libraries  of  priests.  And  we  may  say  that  the 
Society  of  Antiquarians,  is  Copenhagen,  in  bringing  these  documents 
to  light,  resembles  the  conduct  of  the  Poet  Laureate,  Petrarch,  in  the 
fourteenth  century,  who,  at  his  own  expense,  had  the  valuable  man- 
uscripts of  antiquity  dragged  from  the  dust  of  the  cloisters,  transcri- 
bed, and  exhibited  to  the  world. 

Who  does  not  admire  the  lovely  scenery,  where  the  beautiful  and 
sublime  are  blended,  displayed  in  the  succession  of  falls  at  Trenton? 
Yet  these  were  concealed  for  ages,  till  a  master-spirit  revealed  them 
to  an  admiring  world.  And  does  not  the  raven  wing  of  night  hide 
tb*  works  of  art,  also,  till  disclosed  in  a  similar  way?  The  learned 
ei  loelaad,  though,  like  the  generality  of  poets,  poor;  yet,  they  were 


niliiailiKHiif  rtiiiii 


itiiMiiiii'auiriiiii'iiii-ifiiiTii'liitwwrrtirTTiriiiii 


wUifc. 


^f^^fiSi^^•fff!fmfii?Jt/r!al&x*>ii:t^/•'«!L,t£■^■^  fr ■■>-Sf,  M*  -,'iiFii'pnf^sy^.'.- I'SM*  i^CTKyi-f  .■■■;;; 


DIBCOVKRY    OF    AMERICA. 


11 


not  dieoofled,  like  Milton,  to  sell  their  manuBcripts  for  a  paltry  sura. 
IttS  known,  the  Norwegians  have  long  claimed  the  honor  of 
discovering  and  colonizing  America  before  the  time  of  Columbus. 

instead  of  this  discovery  being  a  new-fangled  theory,  as  same  say, 
thorhave  b^n  several  works%ubli.hed  i"  Europe,  upwaris  of  a 
Sntary,  which  speak  of  these  facts.  Wormms  speaks  of  this  dw- 
S^S^  in  a  Latirtranslation,  published  at  the  University  of  Oxford, 
i^  or  about  1716.  In  Adam  of  Bremen's  account,  pubhshed  1629, 
L"  us^s  the  following  striking  language:  -Non  fabutosa  op.mone, 
»ed  certa  relatione  Danorum^  that  is,  in  a  free  translation,  "Th^s  is 
^Tfeblus  opinion,  but  a  true  narrative  given  by  the  Danes 
?hen^ Ives."  Dr.  Franklin,  in  a  letter  to  a  distinguished  antiquary 
forSy  'f  Switzerland,  says  positively,  that  the  Danes  came  into 
New  England  before  the  time  of  Columbus.  Dr.  Mather  published 
an  ftorount.  also,  of  this  discovery,  in  1772.  ,    ,      ,  ,.    . 

S  celebrated  Dr.  Henderson,  who  travelled  in  Iceland.  «y»  that 
the  fact  of  this  early  discovery  was  well  known  to  the  Icelanders-- 
that  it  was  authenticated  by  Northern  historians.  It  is  f  jemajrkabk, 
fac  ,  th^t  Iceland,  where  these  documents  relating  to  the  early  dis- 
covery, were  preserved,  was  the  Athens  of  the  Sorth,  during  the 

°  otrinrthe  Middte  Ages,  the  Icelander,  were  the  most  intelligent 
people  in  the  North.  Even  now,  as  Henderson  says,  youth  can  re- 
Spassag^  from  Latin  and  Greek  authors,  who  have  never  been 
E^WeTSles  from  the  place  of  their  birth.  Truly,  the  hardy  Ice- 
landers were  our  librarians  and  historians.  ...  v  *  „ 
loSnd  appears  to  have  been  a  medium  of  communication  between 
Norway  and  Greenland-*  stepping-stone,  as  it  were,  from  one 

•^tTandrtSiJ'by  some  to  be  the  "Ultima  Thule"  of  Virgil,  wm 
di«?veIS  by  the  Norwegians  in  861.  The  oppression  of  kmg 
Harold  Harfaea  drove  them  there  for  an  asylum.        „        ^ 

But  the"  stSs  spirit  of  the  Northmen  would  not  allow  them  to  be 
idle.    They  made  incursions  in  every  direction,   and  discovered 

"^^"JSSf  a  colony  was  begun  by  Eric  the  Red.  This  was  at  length 
destroyVd  By  the  exertions  of  the  Danish  Society,  the  rums  of  this 
SleSt  ha/a  been  discovered.  It  was  located  on  the  WesU  near 
Cane  Farwell.    It  is  seen  in  the.  remains  of  churches  and  buildings. 

Cif,  the  son  of  Eric,  commenced  a  voyage  of  discovery,  •"  the  year 
lOC^  His  crew  consisted  of  thirty-five  men.  Leif  was  the  fii-st  to 
introduce  missionaries  into  Greenland.  .    ,     j      rri.-... 

After  sailing  for  some  time  South-West,  they  made  land.    They 

anchored  and  lent  asho«.  Thi«  .P»f<f,^««  K Tllu  air  Tht 
was  covered  with  a  slaty  rock,  which  they  called  Helluland.  This 
is  supposed  to  be  Labrador.  Fishermen  and  travellers  of  the  present 
day,  Kive  a  like  description  of  that  barren  region. 

from  thence,  they  sailed  Southwardly;  and,  after  hdding  on  for 
some  time,  thev  again  made  land  and  went  ashore.  This  countty 
waTleil  had  a  low  coast,  presenting,  here  and  there,  bluffs  of  while 


?J 


' 


13 


A    LECTURE    ON   THE 


sand,  and  was  thickly  covered  with  wood.     This  they  named  Maik- 
land  or  Woodland.     This  is  thought  to  be  Nova  Scotia. 

Leaving  Markland,  they  sailed  South-Westorly,  with  a  fair  wind, 
two  days  before  seeing  land  again,  when  they  passed  down  a  pro- 
montory, probably  the  east  side  of  Cape  Cod,  stretching  East  and 
North;  and  then  turning  West  between  an  island  (Martha's  Vine- 
yard) and  the  main  land,  they  entered  a  bay  (Narragansett-bay) 
through  which  a  river  (Taunton  river)  flowed,  when  they  came  to 
anchor  and  went  ashore.  Resolving  to  spend  the  winter  here,  they 
called  the  place  Leifsbuthir,  or  place  of  booths.  Here,  finding  grapes 
very  plenty,  they  called  the  place  Vinland  or  Wineland  the  good. 
This  land,  to  those  coming  from  the  remote  north,  appeared  as  nature 
in  the  "world's  first  spring.,' 

Early  in  the  season,  they  returned  to  Greenland.  Loif's  return 
became  the  principal  subject  of  conversation. 

The  next  adventurer  was  Thorwold,  his  brother.  And  you  will 
observe  that  he  and  the  other  navigators  gave  the  same  account  of 
places  they  visited.  Were  not  this  the  case,  who  could  believe  any 
of  their  reports? 

Thorwold,  thinking  the  country  had  not  been  sufficiently  explored, 
set  sail  in  1002,  and  proceeded  to  Leifsbuthir,  where  he  lived  till  1004. 

In  the  spring  of  1004,  he  sailed  from  Leifsbuthir.  After  passing 
along  the  shore  of  the  promontory  East  and  North,  they  sailed  round 
a  shtrp  point  of  land,  called  Kjarlanes.  This  must  have  been  Capo 
Cod.  Kjarlanes  implies  Keel-cape.  For  Cape  Cod,  at  the  extrem- 
ity, is  in  shape  of  the  keel  of  ancient  vessels,  which  curved  inward. 

These  Northmen  were  peaceable  men.  They  were  not  like 
Phseton,  who  gladly  would  have  seized  the  ruins  of  the  chariot  of  the 
sun  to  set  the  world  on  fire.  It  must  not  be  denied,  however,  that 
the  second  great  navigator,  Thorwold,  assailed  the  natives  without 
cause,  but  in  using  the  sword  he  perished  by  the  sword.  On  receiv- 
ing a  mortal  wound,  he  requested  that,  after  his  death,  crosses  might 
bo  placed  at  either  end  of  his  grave. 

The  Catholic  ministers,  in  giving  an  account  of  their  first  mission- 
ary labors  in  this  country,  speak  of  the  custom  of  the  natives  in 
wearing  crosses.  Such  must  have  been  introduced  by  the  Northmen 
Christians. 

I  mentioned  this  circumstance,  lately,  to  the  librarian  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester;  and  he  said  that  a  cross 
had  been  sent  to  that  institution,  by  a  gentlemen  of  Ohio.  I  saw  this 
emblem  of  the  Christian  faith.  It  must  have  been  hid  from  the  light 
of  heaven,  for  centuries.  This  silver  cross  is  about  two  and  a  half 
inches  long.  It  was  found  on  the  breast  of  a  female  skeleton,  one  of 
wlljch  was  dug  from  a  mound  at  Columbus,  over  which  a  forest  of 
tra9t  lutd  grown.  On  this  cross,  the  capital  lettera  I.  S.  are  perfectly 
visible.  And  what  can  these  letters  imply,  but  the  initials  of  tne 
sacred  name,  Iesus  Salvator? 

Who  can  doubt,  then,  that  the  "Sun  of  Righteousness"  cast  his 
bright  beams  on  the  land  West  of  the  dread  Atlantic,  long  before  the 
time  of  Columbus. 


■JMWMtiNMitMttMMMMMUMBWai 


J.',-'"3!SB 


■:■*.■. 


Mf.>  ■f.tn-UHia«..a.ri'»yt.ja.1.r»  -^.-.t.,»<..  ^..i  )>..<.,,  ...i.,.,  -.i-.'^-^  .-1 


DI8COVEKV    OF    AMERICA. 


13 


Mark- 


In  1000,  Thoriins  or  Thorfln  commanded  one  of  the  the  three 
ships  that  came  from  Iceland  to  Greenland.  He  was  of  royal 
lineage. 

In  the  spring  of  1007,  Thorfin,  with  throe  ships  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty  men,  besides  cattle  and  all  necessary  materials  for  estab- 
lishing a  colony,  set  sail  for  Vin'and. 

They  sailed  to  HcUuiand  or  Labradar;  from  thence  to  Markland 
oa  Nova  Scotia;  and  from  thence  to  Kjarlanes,  or  Cape  Cod.  Sailing 
South  by  the  East  of  the  promontory  which  terminated  at  Kjarlanes, 
they  passed  along  bcachts  or  trackless  deserts  of  sand.  How  des- 
criptive of  this  bleak  and  sterile  coast ! 

Those  who  have  sailed  from  Boston  to  Narragansctt-bay,  are 
ready  to  say  that  I  am  not  drawing  an  ideal  picture. 

Continuinff  their  course,  they  arrived  at  an  island.  They  called  it 
Shaumey.  This  is  supposed  to  be  Martha's  Vineyard.  Nine  men 
went  away  in  one  of  the  ships,  and  never  returned  It  is  said  they 
were  driven  on  the  coast  of  Ireland,  where  they  were  seized  as  slaves. 

In  the  spring,  Thorfin  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  others  went 
to  the  main  land.  They  called  the  place  Hop,  the  i-csidence  after- 
wards of  king  Philip.  Here  they  found  large  numbers  of  skrellings 
or  natives.  Thorfin  carried  on  a  traffic  with  them,  by  exchanging 
bits  of  colored  cloth,  for  furs.  In  consequence  of  their  frequent 
attacks,  in  1009  they  returned  tu  Greenland.  Then,  it  will  be  recol- 
lected that  the  Northmen  had  not  the  use  of  fire-arms  with  which  to 
defend  themselves  against  the  assaults  of  the  pavagcs.  These  lords 
of  the  wilds  had  a  rude  kind  of  engine,  by  which  they  burled  large 
stones  against  their  foes;  and  it  is  possible  that  the  white  man  would 
never  have  driven  the  red  man  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  but  for  the  invention  of  gunpowder 

I  cannot  forbear  to  speak  of  the  valor  of  one  of  this  crew  of  the 
Northmen,  a  female.  When  all  the  rest  woi-e  disposed  to  flee  before 
the  savage  foe,  she  exclaimed:  **If  I  only  had  a  weapon,  I  ween  I 
could  fight  better  than  ony  of  you."  Ah!  when  we  consider  the 
patriotism  of  the  females  at  the  siege  of  Carthago,  who  cut  their 
locks  to  make  ropes  for  engines  of  war;  and  when  we  recollect  the 
courage  of  Isabella  of  Castile,  who  at  the  conquest  of  Grenada, 
though  in  ill  health,  led  on  her  veterans  to  conquest  and  glory,  have 
we  not  reason  to  suppose  that  this  Scandinavian  was  sinccro  in  her 
declaration?  Truly,  valor  and  benevolence  are  but  parallel  streams 
in  the  female  heart  We  would  not  applaud  courage,  however,  unless 
under  the  control  of  a  higher  and  holier  principle. 

Thorfin  married  Gudrida,  the  widow  of  Thorstein,  third  son  of 
Eric.  She  accompanied  her  husband  to  Vinland.  Snorre,  their  son, 
was  the  first  white  child  born  in  America.  From  him  dccended  tli6 
distinguished  associate  of  Professor  Rafn,  Finn  Magnusen.  The 
great  sculptor,  Thorwaldaen,  now  in  Europe,  is  also  of  this  family. 
Bishop  Thulack  Rudolfson  was  a  decendnnt  of  Thorfin's,  and  it  is 
suptKMed  that  lie  wrote  or  compiled  these  documents. 

Dr.  Laud,  •<  distinguished  geologist  from  Denmark,  has  lately 
found  the  remains  of  an  Icelandic  city  in  Brazil.     He  discovered 


14 


A  LICTUKE   ON   THE 


It  i 


Runic  inBcriptions  on  flag  ttoneiu     Above  all  he  found  »  f »"«  ^J 
the  Northman  god  of  thunder,  Thor.  with  his  attributes,  the  magic 

*' ThorfiMhrmost  distinguished  of  these,  returned  to  Iceland,  where 
he  ended  his  days,  living  in  great  splendor.  „„j  w 

The  editor  of  the  American  Antiquities,  Professor  Rafn,  and  his 
wisociate,  Professor  Finn  Magnusen,  think  that  V.nland  was  sUuated 
JX  ea^t  part  of  Rhode  Island,  and  in  the  south  part  of  Massachu- 
setts,  on  or  about  Narraganset  bay  and  Taunton  river. 

The  points  in  the  Icelandic  documents  aHuding  to  the  locality  of 
Vinlann>ay  bo  reckoned  the  Geography,  Natui^l  History,  Astron- 
oaScal  PhenLena,  and  Vestiges  of  Residence  of  Norton  m  that 
Zee.  All  of  these,  in  the  opinion  of  the  editor  of  the  American  An- 
Squities,  point  to  the  head  of  Narraganset  bay,  or  Mount  Hope  bay, 
aj  the  locality  of  Hop,  the  central  part  of  Vmland. 

A.  the  Royal  Society  have  held  correspondence  with  severa  tearn- 
ed  «)cietie8  in  this  country,  for  some  yea«,  they  are  *«»  q"«i>fi«J  ^ 
form  a  judgment  on  this  subject.  Dr.  Webb,  "«*  f  B°^7/°'- 
merly  Secretary  of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society,  and  J.  R. 
MS^  Esq.7of  New-York,  have  been  very  efficient  agents  m 
Sding  the  R^^al  Society  in  presenting  this  great  work  to  the  world. 

The  following  letter  from  the  late  General  Holstem,  Professor  in 
..Albany  FemSe  Academy,"  will  show  the  care  taken  to  acquire 
information  relative  to  American  AntiquiUes  : 

..  In  proof  of  the  great  exertions  made  by  the  Northern  Antiqua- 
rian SocCn  Copenhagen,  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  Scandinavian 
TntSes  in  AmSrica,!  hereby  state  that,  several  years  since,  a 
SS  d^?nquiry,^aled  with  the'seal  of  the  Society,  was  sent  to  a 
prefeiSonaTStleman  of  Geneva,  in  this  State,  a  translation  of 
which  I  made  from  the  Danish  tongue. 

Th«  Geography  of  ViNLAND.-Conceming  the  sihiation  of  Hel- 
IrtS  there  can  be  no  doubt,  as  it  was  the  first  land  southwes  of 
oSnland.    Where  else  could  this  have  been,  unless  the  coast  of 

^"Suridand  was  situated  southwest  from  Helluland,  three  days'  «.il, 
or  thJi  hundred  and  sixty  English  miles.    This  is  supposed  to  be 

^  The^dl^tSice  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  agree,  with  the 
account  the  Icelanders  gave  of  Markland. 

Vhiland  was  situated  two  days'  sail,  or  about  two  hundred  and 
forh^  English  miles  to  the  «>uthwestof  Markland  ;  and  if  Markl«id 
SKn  properfy  ^^""^^  ™««» ^  ""^ht  in  or  near  the  «.uth  part 
"'JJrtlSc  documents,  it  is  said  that  Hop,  the  residence  of 
Ttorfin,  was  situated  on  an  elevation  of  land  near  *  "verwhich 
flowed  routh  through  a  bay,  into  the  ocean.  From  this  the  knd 
suTtohJol-t;  a^j'tuming^orth,  formed,  pro^^^^  which  »e^ 
minated  in  a  point  «c«pe,  which  they  call  Kjarianes.     l  he  east 


'fftrnfi  ''   niiiin'ijiiiiiiiiiiii 


DIBOOVIKY    or    AMBBICA. 


# 


tatue  of 
i  magic 

I,  where 

and  hia 
situated 
usactiu- 

cality  of 
AstroD- 
(1  in  that 
ican  An- 
ope  bay, 

ral  learn- 
lalified  to 
ston,  for- 
nd  J.  R. 
igents  in 
e  world, 
tfessor  in 
o  acquire 


I  Antiqua- 
ndinavian 
B  since,  a 
sent  to  a 
tslation  of 


on  of  Hel- 
ithwest  of 
le  coast  of 

days'  sail, 
)06ed  to  be 

es  with  the 

indred  and 
'  Markland 
south  part 

jsidenoe  of 
river  which 
is  the  land 
,  which  ter- 
Theeast 


side  of  the  promontory  was  bounded  by  long,  narrow  beaches  or 
sand  hills.  To  those  who,  like  myself,  have  often  viewed  the  Atlan- 
tic from  these  sand  hills,  this  account  appears  peculiarly  striking. 

Th«  Natural  History  of  Vinland. — Vinland  was  remarkable 
for  its  vines,  maple  trees,  maize,  and  a  great  variety  of  wild  animals. 
The  waters  abounded  with  fish,  and  were  occasionally  visited  with 
whales.  Birds  were  numerous.  The  eider  duck  was  seen  about  the 
islands,  in  large  numbers. 

As  to  vines,  they  are  numerous  even  now;  and  this  is  more  partic- 
ularly true  of  the  country  around  Narraganset  Bay.  And  was  not 
an  island  called  Martha's  Vineyard,  on  account  of  the  multiplicity  of 
vines  growing  there  1 

The  celebrated  Bishop  Berkley,  who  attempted  to  establish  a  theo- 
logical seminary  in  Rhode  Island,  says,  in  his  letter  to  his  friends  in 
Europe,  that  vines  were  as  plenty  on  the  island,  as  in  Italy.  Gos- 
nald,  who  visited  the  Elizabeth  Isles,  in  160'i,  says,  that  vines  were 
in  great  profusion  there. 

In  the  documents  it  is  said,  that  in  that  region  are  the  red,  sugar, 
and  bird's  eye  maple.  The  Northmen  cut  down  the  trees,  and,  after 
they  were  dry,  they  loaded  their  ships  with  the  timber.  It  is  suppo- 
sed that  the  bird's  eye  variety  was  made  an  article  of  commerce. 

As  to  Indian  corn,  or  maize,  it  seems  our  pilgrim  fathers  found 
some  in  what  is  now  called  Truro,  near  the  end  of  the  cape.  It  was 
buried  in  the  earth  to  preserve  it 

Deer  roam  wild  now,  in  the  pine  woods  near  Plymouth,  as  in  the 
days  of  the  Northmen. 

It  is  needless  to  remind  the  reader  of  the  multiplicity  of  fish  that 
still  abound  in  the  waters  of  this  region.  The  sportsman  may,  at 
this  day,  tell  his  friends,  in  the  language  of  Capt  Smith,  of  James- 
town, who  described  this  quarter,  "of  the  pleasure  to  be  derived  from 
angling,  and  crossing  the  sweet  air,  from  isle  to  isle,  over  the  silent 
streams  of  a  calm  sea." 

As  to  the  whales,  I  have  occasionally  seen  them  spouting  around 
the  sandy  shores  of  the  cape. 

In  regard  to  the  eider  duck,  in  the  Latin  translation  it  is  called 
"  anas  moUissima,"  a  duck  with  the  finest  of  feathers.  The  real 
eider  duck  of  Iceland  is,  at  this  day,  frequently  seen  around  Martha's 
Vineyard.  Wild  fowl  must  hove  been  numerous  there,  as  an  island 
is  still  called  Egg  Island,  from  the  quantity  of  eggs  they  deposited. 
A  drawing  o£  this  duck  can  be  seen  in  Audubon's  magni/^f»nt  work. 

Thori>in  bbsceibbb  thb  Soil  and  Climate. — The  winters  of 
Vinland  are  said  to  be  remarkably  mild,  but  little  snow  falling,  and 
cattle  subsisting  out  of  doors  through  the  winter. 

This  account  does  not  agree  with  the  de«:ription  of  New-England 
winters  at  this  time.  Still,  however,  it  haa  been  the  practice  of  Ae 
farmers  on  Nantucket  and  Martha's  Vineyard,  to  let  their  sheep  and 
cattle  lie  out  during  the  winter.  But  the  coU  irinlers  of  NewEng- 
land,  compared  with  those  of  Greenland,  «ie  M  tt«  mildness  of  spring. 
They  speak,  however,  of  a  snowy  winter. 


BaSSSHSBro?" 


16 


A   LECTI'KC    ON    THK 


But  there  have  been  groat  changes  in  tho  face  of  the  earth  and  in 
the  climate  in  different  ages.  Change  is  the  law  of  nature.  Han 
not  one  of  tho  bright  cluster  been  blotted  out  from  tho  map  of  heaveni 
Such  changes  also  take  place  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  Dead  Sea  was,  in  early  times,  60  miles  long.  It  is  now  only 
30.  And  even  old  Ontario  and  Erie  have  receded  from  their  former 
bounds,  leaving  to  tho  present  generation  a  rich  tract  of  land  several 
miles  wide,  and  a  beautiful  ridge  road.  Who  does  not  admire  the 
everlasting  rocks,  rising  in  stern  grandeur,  on  either  side  of  tho 
Mohawk,  at  the  Littlo  Falls  ?  Yet,  tho  lovely  vale  above  must  once 
have  been  the  bed  of  a  vast  lake.  This  is  manifest  from  the  fact, 
that  there  are  "  pot-holes"  found  at  an  elevation  of  sixty  feet  above 
the  river  at  these  falls. 

These  circular  excavations  were  made,  ages  since,  by  the  circum- 
volution of  stones,  driven  by  the  rapid  descent  of  the  waters.  You 
can  see  a  demonstration  of  this  fact,  by  looking  at  the  high  falls  of 
Black  river  or  Trenton. 

I  have  a  specimen  of  Gneiss,  broken  from  one  of  these  holes, 
which,  though  worn  by  the  busy  hand  of  old  Time,  is  as  smooth  as 
if  polished  by  the  lapidary. 

And  what  a  mighty  labor  was  that,  for  the  waters  of  this  lake  to 
have  found  their  way,  gradually,  through  the  high  and  continuous 
wall  of  granite  where  now  the  Mohawk  murmurs  as  it  rolls  along  its 
new  channel. 

And  how  has  the  face  of  the  earth  changed  in  Massachusetts  since 
visited  by  the  Scandinavians  !  For  instance,  at  the  extremity  of  the 
cape  called  Kjarlanes,  I  have  seen,  amid  wide  waves  of  sand,  innu- 
merable stumps  of  trees.  So  that,  where  now  is  comparatively  a 
desert  of  sand,  and  one  as  bleak  as  that  of  Sahara,  once  stood  a 
dense  forest.  As  the  ocean  is  constantly  encroaching  on  these  bar- 
ren shores,  government  is  expending  large  sums  to  prevent  its  rava- 
ges, by  planting  beach  grass. 

One  circumstance  forces  itself  on  my  mind,  that  may  not  be  im- 
proper to  name. 

1  do  not  find  that  there  is  any  mention  in  these  documents  of  there 
being  masses  of  sand  at  Kjarlanes.  As  it  is  said  the  east  side  of  the 
promontory  was  bounded  by  long,  narrow  beaches  or  sand  hills,  and 
from  the  remains  of  a  forest  of  which  I  spake,  at  the  extremity  of 
his  cape,  is  it  unreasonable  to  Suppose  it  stood  thero  in  the  days  of 
the  first  voyagers  1 

Geological  facts  prove  that  it  was  much  warmer,  formerly,  in  the 
North,  than  it  is  now. 

For  instance,  we  find,  from  the  skeleton  of  the  elephant  found  in 
Siberia,  that  this  tropical  animal  once  roamed  there. 

Large  forests  once  flourished  in  Lapland. 

The  following  observations  from  the  work  of  Hugh  Williamson. 
M.  D.,  on  CSJimate,  politely  handed  me  by  Professor  Greene,  of  Al- 
bany, concur  with  the  above  views. 

It  ia  not  to  be  disputed  that,  in  former  ages,  Iceland  produced  tim- 
ber in  abundance.    Large  trees  are  occasionally  found  there  in  the 


II 


I 


and  in 
Has 
cavenY 

w  only 
brmer 
Bovoral 
lire  the 
of  the 
ist  onco 
fact, 
above 


10 

t 


arcum- 

s.    You 

falls  of 

M3    holoSt 

nooth  as 

s  lake  to 
9ntinuous 
along  its 

ietts  since 
lity  of  the 
ind,  innu- 
ratively  a 
e  stood  a 
these  bar- 
t  its  rava- 

not  be  im- 

its  of  there 
side  of  the 
d  hills,  and 
[tremity  of 
le  days  of 

erly,  in  the 

At  found  in 


Williamson, 
jene,  of  Al- 

oduced  tim- 
heie  in  the 


..  fiiiwn I ■iniinf  iKmnmiwnflr  »in»-»i  aiwfflt* 


DIRCOVERY    OF    AMERICA.  H 

marshes  and  valleys,  to  a  considerable  depth  in  the  ground.  Scg- 
ments  of  these  fossil-trees  have  lately  been  exported,  in  proof  of  the 
alleged  fact. 

It  is  asserted  in  the  ancient  Icelandic  records,  that,  when  Ingulf, 
the  Norwogian,  first  landed  in  Iceland,  879,  he  found  so  thick  a 
cluster  of  birch  trees,  that  he  penetrated  them  with  difficulty. 

Henderson,  in  his  travels  in  Iceland,  says,  that  the  climato  has 
deteriorated  there,  from  the  fact  that  it  was  once  shaded  with  for. 
csts. 

When  the  first  Norwegian  colony  settled  in  Greenland,  about  1000 
years  ago,  they  found  no  difficulty  from  ice  in  approaching  the  coast, 
and  a  regular  correspondence  was  supported  by  their  people,  for 
many  years. 

And  has  not  climate  changed,  even  in  this  region  1  A  gentleman 
of  Mount  Morris,  N.  Y.  says  that  forty  years  ago  the  winters  were 
so  mild  in  the  Genesee  valley  that  one  could  plough;  and  that  swine 
lived  through  them  in  the  woods.  And  is  it  unreasonable  to  suppose 
that  the  climate  of  New-Englund  was  much  milder  in  the  days  of 
the  Northmen,  than  it  is  now  t 

Astronomical  Phenomena. — The  learned  editor  and  his  asso- 
ciate, deduce  from  the  astronomical  data,  lat.  41^  24'  10",  which  is 
the  latitude  of  Narraganset  bay  and  Mount  Hope.  There,  at  the 
Winter  Solstice,  December  22,  the  day  is  nine  hours. 

That  the  Northmen  were  capable  of  taking  latitudes,  is  evident 
from  the  circumstance,  that  at  that  period,  they  speak  of  eclipses, 
which  have  lately  been  calculated  by  Sir  David  Brewstter  and  the 
distinguished  Norwegian  astronomer,  Hanstein,  and  found  correct. 

The  reading  however,  that  leads  to  the  above  calculation,  has  been 
disputed.  The  whole  controversy  turns  on  the  meaning  of  two 
words.  From  what  we  can  understand,  we  presume  the  editor  is 
correct  in  his  exposition. 

But  suppose  we  were  to  reject  all  history,  on  account  of  some 
apparent  or  real  discrepancy  in  narration?  In  such  a  case,  some 
future  reader  might  declare  that  the  history  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution was  neither  credible  nor  authentic;  for  it  is  said  that  the  dis- 
tinguished  battle  of  the  17th  June,  '75,  was  fought  on  Bunker's  Hill, 
instead  of  Breed's.  Who  does  not  know  that  Bunker's  Hill,  rising 
back  of  Breed's,  is  more  elevated  than  the  latter,  on  which  the  mon- 
ument is  rising  ?  (Yes;  and  by  the  patriotism  of  the  ladies  of  1840, 
will  ere  long  tower  to  the  stars.) 

Little  can  be  said  of  the  Vestioeb  of  thIb  Residence  or 
THE  Northmen  in  this  Country. — There  is  a  large  rock  at  the 
junction  of  Smith's  creek  with  Taunton  river,  with  a  singular  in* 
scription  on  it  It  was  evidently  made  with  an  iron  instrument 
Passing  over  the  particular  remarks  of  the  editor,  on  these  letters,  I 
would  give  his  supposition  as  to  their  meaning: 

Thorfins,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  one  men  took  possession  of 
the  country. 

3 


I?- 
11 

1 


waam 


18 


A   LBCTUKE   ON   THE 


Professor  Ratn  has  deciphered  an  inKription  on  the  Paradisic  rock 
of  Iceland,  which,  he  says,  proves  beyond  doubt,  the  European  origin 
of  the  inscription  on  this  in  Massachusetts. 

John  R.  Bartlett,  Esq.,  copied  the  inscription.  Mc  found  the 
characters  permanently  imbedded  in  the  rock  called  Gneiss. 

I  think  it  will  be  difficuh  for  Mr.  Schoolcraft  to  prove,  that  this 
description  at  Dighton,  was  made  by  the  Indians.  It  was  a  mistake 
about  Mr.  Catlin's  having  seen  such  oil  the  pipc-stonc  rocks  of  the 
West 

There  are  similar  inscriptions  on  rocks  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount 
Hope  bay. 

The  people  in  the  north  of  Europe,  were  fond  of  making  inscrip- 
tions on  rocks  on  the  borders  of  lakes  and  rivers;  for  such  are  found 
in  Norway,  Sweden  and  Scotland.     They  are  called  ••  Runes." 

One  of  these  inscriptions,  found  on  a  rock  in  Sweden,  has  been 
deciphered  by  Professor  Finn  Magnusen.  The  inscription  relates 
to  a  battle  fought  about  A.  D.  680,  between  the  kings  of  Norway 
and  Sweden.  Accounts  of  this  battle  were  jiven  by  authentic  his- 
torians. 

I  have  examined  a  splendid  article  of  Professor  Rafn,  on  the  old 
Stone  Mill  at  Newport,  R.  I.  He  has  drawings  representing  the 
churches  built  by  the  Northmen  in  the  north  of  Europe.  The  order 
of  architecture  is  Norman.  It  prevailed  from  the  time  of  Charle- 
magne to  the  twelfth  century.  As  these  buildings  resemble  the  one 
in  Newport,  he  thinks  it  was  erected  by  the  same  people.  The  old- 
est inhabitants  know  nothing  of  the  origin  of  this  curious  structure. 

The  light  of  evidence  constantly  flowing  in  from  every  quarter, 
confirms  fully  the  fact,  that  the  men  of  the  North  crossed  the  Atlan- 
tic before  the  day  of  Columbus.  Objections  to  the  theory  are  now 
few,  and,  like  angels  visits,  <'  far  between." 

The  Northmen  originally  used  sixteen  of  these  Runic  characters. 

As  the  monuments  of  antiquity  in  North  America  are  diflerent  from 
those  in  Mexico,  Central  and  South  America,  they  must  have  been 
left  by  different  races.  It  is  said  there  is  a  similarity  between  the 
antiquities  of  North  America  and  those  found  in  the  north  of  Europe 
aiid  Asia. 

Capt  Williams,  of  Boston,  a  native  of  Denmark,  says  he  has  ex- 
amined a  mound  near  St  Louis,  and  he  finds  that  its  form,  and  the 
relics  it  contains,  are  precisely  like  the  shape  of  the  mounds  in  Den- 
mark, and  the  antiquities  found  in  them.  He  thinks  the  mounds  of 
the  West  were  erected  by  the  Scandinavians. 

I  presume  the  Northmen  were  among  the  prominent  master  build- 
ers of  the  fortifications  of  the  West 

They  probably  were  a  conspicuous  people  here  even  at  the  Chris- 
tian era,  and  that  their  cok)nies  were  left  to  perish  when  the  hordes 
of  the  present  country  swept  over  the  Roman  empire. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  such  fortifications  as  that  on 
Rock  River,  Wisconsin  Territory,  were  the  strong  holds  or  valiant 
chiefs  of  the  North  in  oldan  times — that  on  this  continent  bold 
knights  once  rallied  forth  as  from  feudal  castles  with  <*  lance  and 
spears,"  in  defence  of  injured  "  lady  love." 


**u. 


I 


i^OMMM 


mm 


'    DliCOVKHY    09   AMERICA.  JP^ 

I  h«v«  burnt  brick  from  thi.  fortification  at  Artmlon,  Rock  River. 
I.ias  f^m  tSetlfB  bu?t  with  greon  and  white. and onclo«  an  area 
of  over  thirteen  acres. 

^S'l^S'Sg;  =    "A  r»ro«  Nar„»no.«,n.  l.be«  n<*  O 

'^K'.l^ol^r'rn,' butt  .in,b,r  .h..  »  now  e.g.rl,  »u,h.  by 
.  cotlago  fi-".  T™  '        T^tlf  iS^rel-fcy  P»2d  between 

speaking  of  the  Western  isles: 

«•  Thither  came  in  times  i  far, 
Stern  Lochlin's  eon.  of  roving  war: 
The  Northmen,  trained  to  ailoiJ  and  Wood, 
Skilled  to  prepare  the  «7»  •  ~~'     _ 
Kinga  of  the  main,  their  leadera  brave— 
Their  bMki,  the  Diu«o«  of  the  wave.' 

In  dawribing  king  Harold's  ship,  it  is  Baid: 

"  And  dragons'  hewta  •doraa  the  prow  of  gold." 


iritmmm 


«Hi 


IV  A   LEUTIJRK    ON    THC 

Secst  thou  tho  tiny  floot  uf  some  Hchool  boy,  launched  on  an  in- 
aulated  sheet  of  water  1  And  such  were  the  grcntcat  armanu?ntN  oi 
tho  famous  nations  of  antiquity,  compared  with  thoso  of  tho  North- 
men. 

The  present  quoon  of  England  is  a  direct  dcHcendant  of  the 
Northmen.  It  will  bo  recollected  that  Rollo,  tho  Norman,  inva> 
dod  France  in  012,  and  enthroned  himself  in  tho  North.  In  1060, 
William  of  Normandy,  conquered  England.  Thcso  sovereigns  were 
Northmen;  and  from  their  family,  the  pride  and  glory  of  Great  Brit- 
ain descended. 

At  tho  beginning  of  tho  eleventh  century,  the  Danes  and  Norwe- 
gians were  converted  to  Christianity,  and  thereby  received  a  now 
impulse,  that  led  them  to  extend  tho  blessings  of  the  GohucI.  And 
who  but  this  people  could  over  have  ontablisnod  missions  m  Green- 
land t 


What  shall  we  say  of  the  ability  of  the  Northmen  to  record  incu 
dents  of  their  voyage  ? 

In  the  year  1000,  on  their  conversion  to  Christianity,  they  adop- 
ted the  Roman  alphabet.  This  was  their  Augustan  ago.  The  thirst 
of  the  Icelanders  for  learning,  is  seen  in  the  conduct  of  Ulfijot,  their 
supreme  legislator,  who,  in  025,  undertook  a  voyage  to  Norwav,  in 
his  sixtieth  year,  to  acquire  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  the  legal 
customs  and  institutions  of  the  parent  country. 

In  Iceland,  l\u^  learned  were  called  Skalds  and  Sagamen. 

The  former  wore  poets  and  historians.  Skalds  denote  '*  smooth- 
ers or  polishers  of  language." 

The  Sagamen  recited  in  prose,  with  greater  detail,  what  the  Skalds 
had  recited  in  verso. 

By  the  rocitationa  of  the  Skalds,  the  real  and  traditionary  history 
of  the  country  was  transmitted  from  generation  to  generation. 

Memory  is,  perhaps,  the  most  improvable  faculty  of  our  nature. 
Deprived  of  books,  it  depends  upon  its  own  resources.  Its  strength 
is  seen  in  the  following  instance:  An  Icelandic  Skald  sang  sixty  dif- 
ferent lays  in  one  evening,  before  king  Harold  Sigurdson;  and,  being 
asked  if  he  knew  any  more,  declared  that  these  were  only  tho  half  of 
what  he  could  sing. 

Their  traditionary  histories  were  written  down  and  preserved. 

As  poetry  is  among  the  antiquities  of  all  nations,  the  events  it 
records  have  ever  been  preserved  by  the  recitations  of  Skalds,  Min- 
strels, or  Bards. 

And  whooi  does  the  conqueror  of  Wales  cut  off  from  the  land  1 
Does  not  Edward  the  First,  of  England,  destroy  the  Minstrels  of 
Wales,  lest  they  should,  by  their  recitations,  awaken  that  spirit  of 
liberty  in  the  breasts  of  the  vanquished,  which  would  lead  them  to 
throw  off  the  yoke  of  the  British  monarch  ? 

These  Skalds  were  distinguished  men — the  companions  of  kings. 
Thev  sometimes  ware  kings,  as  in  the  instance  of  Kegnar  Lodbrok. 

The  Sagamen  made  their  recitations  in  public  and  private,  at  con- 
venient opportunities. 


t  ft   ■iTiriiH(teH^;«»a 


in- 
Drth- 


tho 
inva- 
066, 
were 
Brit- 

)rwo- 

L  new 

And 

ircen- 


DIICOVIRV    or    AMUICA.  W§ 

If  AuguatUR  dclightud  to  havo  Virgil  ond  lloraco  on  oithcr  hand, 
■o  tho  Scandinavian  monarchn  rtijuicud  to  havo  Hkalda  and  Sagumen 
in  their  presence. 

At  solemn  foaata,  tho  services  of  these  men  were  required. 

Sasmund,  in  10ft6,  collected  the  difleront  pooina  relating  to  tho  my- 
thology and  hiatury  ot*  tho  North.  Tho  collection  waa  called  the 
'*  Poetic  Edda."  He  waa  a  man  of  learning,  having  been  educated 
at  tho  Univeraitics  of  Germany  and  France. 

Ho  performed  for  the  ancient  poems,  tho  aamo  office  which  is  aaid 
to  have  l)ecn  done  by  tho  ancient  (jrcek  rhapsodiftt  who  firat  collected 
and  arranged  tho  songs  of  his  predecessors,  and  reduced  them  to  one 
continuous j)Ocni  called  Homer^a  Iliad. 

Bnorro  Sturslon,  judge  of  Iceland,  wat.  tho  moat  distinguiahed 
scholar  of  his  day.  His  principal  work  waa  the  Proaaic  Edda.  It 
treata,  in  particular,  of  Scandinavian  mythology.  He  lived  in  1176. 
Hia  bath  still  attracts  tho  attention  of  the  traveller.  The  aqueduct  of 
it  18  five  hundred  feet  long,  and  ia  composed  of  hewn  stone  finely 
united  by  cement  Tho  reservoi*  is  similarly  constructed,  and  will 
contain  thirty  pcraons.  Tho  water  waa  supplied  from  one  of  their 
warm  springs. 

The  general  characteristics  of  tho  Icelandic  tonguo,  art'  copioua- 
ness,  energy,  ond  flexibility,  to  an  extent  that  rivala  every  modern 
language,  and  which  enables  it  to  enter  into  successful  competition 
with  the  Greek  and  Latin. 

Were  not  the  Icelanders  then,  capable  of  recording  tho  events  in- 
cident to  a  voyage  of  discovery  1 

The  interna/  evidences  found  in  these  documents,  are  in  favor  of 
their  authenticity. 

Beaides,  there  arc  in  existence  a  aeries  of  worka  from  the  time 
when  these  voyagea  purport  to  have  been  made,  down  to  tho  preaent 
time,  which  havo  been  preserved,  and  which  mako  mention  of  these 
discoveries. 

Distinguished  men  who  have  had  superior  opportunities  of  ascer- 
taining the  merits  of  this  question,  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  descendants  of  the  Scandinivians  were  the  discoverers  of  America 
prior  to  the  time  of  Columbus.  Among  these  are  Dr.  Forster,  Mr. 
Wheaton,  our  Minister  at  the  Court  of  Berlin,  and  Baron  Von  Hum- 
boldt, also  of  the  above  city. 

In  a  work  sent  from  Denmark,  are  the  following  important  re- 
marks : 

•'  Alexander  Von  Humboldt,  who,  of  all  modern  travellers,  has 
thrown  the  greatest  light  on  the  physical  circumstances,  fir*t  discov- 
ery, and  earlieat  history  of  America,  has  admitted  that  the  Scandina- 
vian Northmen  were  the  true,  original  discovers  of  the  New  World. 
He  has  also  remarked,  that  the  information  which  the  public  as  yet 
possesses  of  that  remarlcable  epoch  in  the  Middle  Ages,  is  extremely 
scanty;  and  he  has  expressed  a  wish  that  the  Northern  Literati  would 
collect  and  publish  all  the  accounts  relating  to  that  subject.'' 

The  Society  of  Northern  Antiquarians  has  complied  with  his  re- 
questt  in  publishing  to  the  world  the  great  work  I  before  mentioned. 


I.* 


If 


tammtio-' 


W  A   LBCTUBR   ON   TNK 

BMkiet  Adam  of  Rromen's  account  of  tho  diacovorv  ul'  Aineriou, 
this  great  work  Rpeaka  of  Biihop  Bric'i  voyagu  U>  Vinland,  in  1131. 
Although  'I'horfin's  nic'ii  won)  driven  away  at  Ctrat  by  llio  nalivoi, 
yet  it  ii  loaaonablu  to  iiup|ioao  that  thoy  at  longth  returned  and  form, 
ltd  coloniea  in  this  quarter,  tugnther  with  others  who  viaited  America, 
aa  named  in  tho  Iculandic  MtiS. 

If  voyages  wpro  made,  from  time  to  time,  to  diflbrant  parta  of 
America,  by  tho  Northmen,  ia  it  not  rcaaonablo  to  auppooo  that  aomo 

ekrta  of  onr  country  wero  inhabited  by  Ihcm  for  a  long  time,  and  that 
iahop  Eric  visitt'd  Vinland  to  perform  Epiacu|>al  dutiua,  and  that 
tho  Northmen  left  evic'oncoa  of  tlieir  arta,  in  tho  antiquities  1  will 
briefly  name  ? 

How  fond  is  man  to  linger  around  mouldering  ruina — to  fix  the  eye 
on  tho  mutilated  column  overgrown  with  ivy  !     But  aro  there  not 
antiquitiea  as  worthy  as  those  of  arti     1  moan  thoao  of  our  own  ape- 
cica 

I  ahall  make  a  remark  on  a  human  akcleton  1  aaw,  not  long  since, 
at  Pall  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Narragansct  bay. 

I  had  an  extensive  view  of  the  region  around  Mount  Hope,  lying 
on  tho  west  of  Mount  Iloix;  bay.  How  accurately  is  tho  scenery 
ponrayed  in  tho  Icelandic  documents  ! 

In  the  Muaeum,  next  door  to  the  Hotel,  waa  tho  akeleton  of  one  aa 
illuatrious  as  the  son  of  Massafoit.  Beautiful  ia  the  situation  of  Mount 
Hope.  On  passing  it  lately,  tho  place  where  Philip'a  houao  atood 
was  pointed  out.  Mount  Hope  haa  become  a  place  of  rcaort  for 
those  who  wish  to  inhalo  a  pure  air,  and  to  witness  some  of  tho  moat 
attractive  scenery  our  country  presents. 

This  skeleton  was  dug  up,  a  few  years  since,  in  that  place.  It 
has  a  breast-plate  or  medal  hanging  from  its  neck,  thirteen  inches 
long,  and  six  in  width  at  the  top,  ond  five  at  the  twttom.  It  has, 
also,  an  ornament  of  fillet  work  around  its  body  four  and  a  half 
inches  wide.  Theso  ornaments  are  made  of  brass,  or,  as  Dr.  Webb 
says,  of  bronze.  A  knowledge  of  the  uses  of  thia  artificial  metal, 
impliea  a  conaiderable  advance  in  tho  arts. 

I  witnessed,  lately,  an  object  of  interest  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
Not  long  since,  a  large  oak  (roe,  cut  down  in  Lyons,  was  taken  to 
Newark  ;  and  on  sawing  it,  there  were  found  near  the  centre,  the 
marks  of  an  axe.  On  counting  the  concentric  circles,  it  was  found 
that  four  hundred  and  sixty  had  boon  formed  since  the  cutting  waa 
made. 

But  the  most  striking  circumstance  ia,  that  thia  large  cavity  now 
visible,  was  made  by  an  edged  tool.  The  rude  atone  axes  of  the 
present  race  of  Indians  could  never  have  made  clefts  so  amooth  as 
those  I  aaw  in  the  block  in  the  hotel  at  Newark. 

I  have  in  my  possession,  an  axe  set  with  steel,  that  waa  found  un 
der  a  tree  in  Hamburgh,  Erie  county,  between  three  and  four  feet  in 
diameter.    Col.  Marvin,  also,  of  Lima*  found  a  similar  one  under  a 
large  oak  tree  of  that  town. 

On  further  examination,  I  presume  this  skeleton,  whoae  head  la 
different  from  that  of  the  natives,  was  a  Nordiman;  and  that  the  cut- 


\ 


k 

CI 
SI 

w 
o 


n 
II 


»f  IISJM-  flyrri,  -.V  \ .  j  — f-_'_pj  f-  T  ■! 


iw>:.U<4t-:i'taM 


Ildtt, 

yn. 

|vf)l, 

krm- 
fica, 

of 

awe 

I  that 

that 

will 

joyo 
not 


l>UI!UVIRV   or    AMIRICA. 


•M 


iifiga  in  thrtc  tmm  wnrn  n^'ki  hv  axoa  wiridod  by  tho  dtiacondanti  of 
Nortl/nicn  For  1  And  t'mt  tho  Icniondin  M88.  apoak  of  brcaat-piatea 
worn  by  tli'i  Northmrn;  and  na  to  thnir  axea,  it  ia  atatcd  that  tho  na> 
tivfta  tried  them  on  wtnid,  and  at'lnrwarda  on  stono  ;  but  the  inatru- 
mentN  i  "d  by  thci  t'orint-r  to  cut  down  maplo  Uecn,  could  not  witli- 
ata'id  tliij  uMr  iii'iilt'  of  ilinn,  by  thii  latiort  u|Kin  iitont'.  [fit  bo  aaknd 
wnat  has  become  of  fhc  Northmen,  and  whoro  arc  thoir  ilnacondanta, 
wo  iiiiKwcr:  Likn  thn  mi|rhty  mnpiter  buildnra  of  tho  aplondid  citicaof 
Contral  Amnrica,  of  Moxico,  lUiiJ  of  tho  rudo  i.ioundn  of  Ohio,  they 
have  paaaoil  into  tho  Nhuden  of  oblivion. 

Thorn  have  born  disoovorod,  beyond  lat  60",  in  (4roenland,  up- 
ward of  AOO  peopio  reacinl'jiing  Ihono  in  tho  north  of  Europe,  proba- 
biy  doscendanta  of  tho  Northmen. 


An  important  inquiry  ariaci:  Waa  Columbus  uwaro  of  the  diacov- 
eriea  by  tho  Northmen  T 

From  a  letter  proaorvod  by  hia  son,  it  appears  that  ho  visited  Ice- 
land in  1477.  And  it  is  thousht  by  some  that  he  there  obtained  a 
knowledge  of  tho  discovery  oT  Vinland.  Allowing  this  to  be  thn 
case,  it  is  ningular  ho  should  never  havo  given  any  intimation  of 
such  knowledge. 

Instead  of  walking  through  Hpain,  leading  his  aon  by  the  hand, 
would  he  not  at  once  have  rushed  tnto  tho  presence  of  tho  sovereigns 
and  acquired  patronago,  wealth,  and  honor,  by  tolling  them  that  the 
obscure  Icelanders  had  disco/orud  the  region  he  wished  to  unfold  1 

His  greatest  enemies  never  accused  him  of  having  reached  the 
New  World,  by  information  received  from  Iceland. 

But,  as  Columbus  was  rathnr  artful,  ho  might,  from  particular 
motives,  have  concealed  thia  knowledge  from  tho  observation  of 
mankind. 

After  all,  let  not  the  circumstanco  of  this  prior  discovery,  cause, 
in  our  view,  the  laurels  given  to  Columbus,  to  wither  on  his  brow. 
Let  us  ever  honor  him  for  his  perseverance  and  his  virtues. 

Let  not  Leif  and  his  associate  Northmen  deprive  him  of  what  the 
voice  of  nation^  has  awarded,  the  merit  of  having  given,  not  to  Fer> 
dinand  and  Isabella  only,  but  to  successive  generations,  a  new  world. 

Iceland,  though  but  a  sieck  on  the  bosom  of  tho  Northen  ocean, 
is  not  unworthy  our  notice.  Though  dark  to  the  superficial  observer, 
yet  it  shines  with  a  lustre  brighter  than  the  flame  rising  from  its  voN 
cano.  It  is  the  light  of  knowledge.  That  obscure  island  is  remark- 
able  for  the  attention  paid  to  learning.  Every  man  among  the  com- 
noon  class,  pursue  the  higher  branches  of  study.  Their  long  night* 
are  eni'vened  by  the  custom  of  «t>ery  member  of  the  family  gathering 
around  the  bright  lamp,  while  one  reads  for  the  amusement  and 
instruction  of  all. 

The  sources  of  happiness  are  not,  like  those  of  mighty  rivers,  hid 
from  the  view  of  moat  people.  They  are  acoesaibfo  to  all.  The 
Icelanders,  living  in  a  nmote  island,  and  out  oflTfVom  pHvileges  that 
milder  climates  present,  are  naturally  led  to  look  for  h&ppinesa  in 
the  pursuit  of  knowledge. 


mtau^fmrnammnf 


34 


%. 


DISCOVERY   OF    AMERICA. 


4., 


If  the  celebrated  Pliny  could  say  his  books  were  sovereign  con« 
solera  oP  sorrow,  cannot  the  Icelander  also  declare  that,  when  moun- 
tain waves  lash  the  shores,  he  can  find  pleasure  in  the  pursuit  of 
those  studies  that  mend  the  heart  and  enlighten  the  mind?  Ah  yes! 
fondness  for  books  will  create  an  artificial  summer  in  the  depths  of 
the  most  gloomy  season. 

The  sunny  Italy  may  boast  of  the  beauteous  tints  that  flush  her 
skies  ;  but,  after  all,  her  effeminate  inhabitants  may  be  destitute  of 
that  happiness  enjoyed  by  those  who  live  where  winter  reigns  un- 
controlled, most  of  the  year. 

The  benevolence  of  Deity  is  seen  in  the  content edness  felt  by  those 
who  live  in  the  higher  latitudes,  where,  as  a  writer  said  of  countries 
north  of  the  Alps:  Nature  seems  to  have  acted  the  part  of  a  step- 
mother. 

What  a  contrast  between  the  condition  of  the  Icelanders,  and  that 
of  their  forefathers!  They  were  the  worshippers  of  the  god  Wodin. 
And  what  were  his  attributesi  He  was  styled  the  Fatherbf  Carnage! 
His  greatest  favorites  were  suoh  as  destro3red  most  of  their  fellow- 
creatures  in  the  field  of  battle. 

But  the  Prince  of  Peace  has  broken  the  sceptre  of  the  Father  of 
Carnage. 

The  benign  influence  of  his  Gospel  is  seen  in  all  the  departments 
of  government  Observe  its  effects  as  seen  in  the  difference  between 
the  feelings  of  Lodbrook,  a  Northman  king,  and  Skald,  and  those 
evinced  by  one  who  v/as  so  successful  of  late,  in  settling  our  border 
difficulties. 

Such  is  the  influence  of  Christianity,  where  the  Northmen  found 
those  who  heard  the  Great  &»pul:  in  the  thunder. 

A  word  in  praise  of  the  Scandinavians.  Like  the  Patriarch,  they 
went  in  search  of  a  region,  they  knew  not  where.  We  praise  them 
for  their  courage,  we  applaud  them  for  their  zeal,  we  respect  them 
f<Mr  thtir  motives;  for  they  were  anxious  to  enlarge  the  boundaries  of 
knowledge.     They  reached  the  wished  for  land, 

*'  Where  now  the  Western  siin 
**       O'er  fields  and  floods,  o'er  avery  living  sonl,    . 
Diffoseth  glad  repose." 

The  Scandinavians  Itave  opened  to  the  riew  a  broad  region,  where 
smiling  tiope  invites  successive  generations  from  the  old  world. 

Sucn  men  a«  a  Ceesar,  or  a  iTamerlane,  conquer  l||it  to  devastate 
opttBtrids.  Discoverers  add  new  regions  of  fertility  and  beauty  to 
those  already  known.  And  ire  not  the  hardy  adventurers  ploughing 
the  briny  wave,  more  attractive  than  the  troops  of  Alexander  March- 
ing to  conquer  the  world,  with  plume*  waving  in  the  gentle  breeze, 
with  arms  glittering  in  the  sunbeamst  Who  can  tell  the  benefits  the 
former  confer  on  mankind  ? 

"  To  connt  them  all,  demands  a  thousand  tongnes, 
A  throat  of  brass,  and  adamsatine  Ittogs." 


IBJalOB     ■ 


M. 


■^* 


■-z\ 


A.1»«t.^..ii.^>Jt,fct>ii .  ■  - 


-•It- 


%. 


**-■/. 


ive  reign  con* 
when  moun* 
le  pursuit  of 
idl  Ah  yes! 
the  depths  of 

lat  flush  her 
le  destitute  of 
vt  reigns  un- 

r  felt  by  those 
1  of  countries 
»rt  of  a  step- 

ders,  and  that 
e  god  Wodin. 
irbf  Carnage! 
r  their  fellow- 

the  Father  of 

le  departments 
rence  between 
:ald,  and  those 
ing  our  border 

irthmen  found 

Patriarch,  they 
I'^e  praise  them 
e  respect  them 
9  boundaries  of 


d  region,  where 

>ld  world. 

lit  to  devastate 

and  beauty  to 
iirers  plouglihig 
exander  iii»rch- 
e  gentle  breeze, 

the  benefits  the 


/ 


lea, 


^)5|%1|^!«prflW««W»BW«w- 


r-...   .y^Ct' 


